The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1887-04-27
IFor the Ashevills CITIZEN.
INUL ILU AnAOFAIAS OHHAD11l'
BUTTER MAKERS VERSUS BUT
TER EATERs-THE ASHEvILLE
MARKET.
Editors Ashev,lls Citizen =

MARKET.
Editors AsheUslIe Ctizen:-
Your eloquent appeals to the farmers
for butter, and in behalf of the suffering
people of Asheville, are very touching,
and almost calculated to set every farmer
hard at work churning. I SAY almost but
not quite. The average farmer is not
fool, although some people appear to
think 80. I'll admit he is strongly con-
serVative, and perhaps slow, and over
cautious, but, where his interests are
concerned, he 10 anv thing short of fool.
It is all very well for your Bill Nyes,
d I'd 0nnes genus, to come down here and
have their filings at US and our COWS and
orr butter, but what of the butter caters 2
After all, Messrs. Editors; do the good
people of Asheville real Y want butter. or
Is it only grease they ere crying. for 2
This is not meant for a sneer. have
good reasons for asking the question.
Your correspondent, IA Buncombe
Farmer has spoken the truth in behalf
Of the farmers, giving facts to su tain
him in what he says. | now propose to
hand in my mite of testimony. Let us
see who is to blame for the absence of
butter in Asheyille.
Two years ago thought to engage in
butter making for the Ashevile market,
but concluded it would be better TO go
SLOW" In other words, before purchas-
ing Jersey cows and incurring other ex-
penses incidental to starting a butter
dairv, would first try the market
Having on hand some very delicious but
ter, about thirty pounds over and above
what was needed for family use of a
beautiful golden yellow and sweet as
nut, thought l would take it to town
and see what price it would bring This
buttor would have sold readily in New
York for fifty cents per pound.
We'll! tried to get thirty-five cents
for it, then dropped to thirty. BUTT was
no 60. | tried private citizens first, then
the merchants. l went t'into the store of
one of the leading merchants, and offer
ed the butter. "How much ?" "Thirty
cents" Cant give it. Can get all the
butter want for twenty cents" pointing
as he spoke, to a pile of round balls OF
what appeared to be mutton tallow,
heaped up on his counter in q pyramid,
like cannon balls in an Ordnance yard.
l called his attention to the quality Of
my butter. its fragrance, and freshness
and beautiful color, compared with
which his looked like death on the pale
horse. Yes, he acknowledged all this,
but said what was the use, his customers
would not pay more than twenty. five
cent?; to them butter was butter. provid-
ed 1t was not actually rancid. | took my
butter home, and enjoyed it in the bosom
of my family.
l did not purchase any Jersey cows
then.
One day last fall 1 heard that Ashe.
vile was'a city, and was going to have
her census taken, and that it would turn
out that she contained at least 5000 in
habitants. Surely, thought, now is the
time to purchase Jerseys.
ohI'twould' bo pitlful
Ifin this whole city-full,
Idea and rhyme are Hood's)
there should be none to ask for good but
ter Surely, surely, they would not all
take boarders!
( Eh bien,-aR we say in Tin buctoo,-
made my arrangements; got me some
graded Jerseys, and made butter. l tried
without success to enter into agreement
with private families to furnish them
"Gilt Edge" butter the year round at 80
cents per pound.
Then I bethc ught me of the hotels
visited them at q most opportune time.
They were crowded with people from the
North who were complaining about the
quality of Cine. nnati oleomargerine, and
Buncombe oleo-broomsedge. They were
glad to get my butter, and-two of them
have taken all | could make during
the past winter and present spring. No
fuss about price therel could have dis
posed of five times the quantity.
A short time since, while standing in
conversation with one of our leading
merchants,-the same whose customers
two years ago would not paw more than
twenty five cents for butter, and to whom
SHUTTER was butter" "a lady entered.
"Mr. -, have you any butter ?"
No, Madam, regret to say haven't"
"Dear me What shall do ? here I've
hunted the whole town over and can't
buy poundW
had my little laugh, for had that
very morning brought to town q large
lot of fine, fresh butter. which l had dis
posed of to one of the large hotels at a
price which would have made our mer-
chants customers vince.
Go ahead, Messrs. Editors Preach
butter all you can. 1t does me good to
read your articles. Only-only, l would
venture to suggest in the mildest manner
possible; to hint gently as it were, in the
most delicate way, that, for the present
at least, you stop preaching to the butter
makers IN posse, and turn your attention
to the butter eaters IN esse.
repeat it. The farmers are not fools.
Let there be q demand for good butter,
and warrant you il. will be forthcoming
fast enough.
recently heard that family at Ashe-
ville-new comeTs they are-having been
getting their butter this past winter from
Philadelphia at one dollar per pound.
wish there were hundreds of others like
them in Asheville; people who appreciate
good butter and are willing to pay for it
Preach to the butter eaters, say
Devote q whole column tO them daily
'Tis great and glorious field for mission
ary work. You will add another bright
leaf to the, chapter of fame worn &c
becomingly upon your editorial brows
can you but succeed in teaching them
the difference between butter and -
Itallow.
l had intended to stop just there, bu
since writing the above, have read Youl
additional remarks in your issue of Apri
23rd You say, "Asheville is not thl
only butter market; and butter maker
need not be disturbed because they dC
not always secure hign prices or steady
! sales here"
That is true. We could, withou
: doubt, find ready ssle for all our gOoC
butter in Charleston, Columbia, Atlanta
Augusta and other cities South They
are, geographically, our natural markets
Butho are we to get our butter to thes
| nlacpa9